Queercents

Although I live in Brooklyn, my family is in California. My partner Grace’s family is from Virginia. So between family visits, week-long vacations, and weekend getaways, we can be gone quite a bit. This leaves our cats, Francie and Hammy, up to their own devices, which, in all honestly, probably consist of sleeping, sleeping some more and trying to see how much hair they can get to accumulate on the rug. However our absence affects them, they seem to be a little sad whenever our departure is imminent- sleeping in our suitcases, sleeping thisclose to our faces, and (okay, maybe I’m projecting) giving us sad, feel-sorry-for-me faces.

I never expected my dad’s rejoinder to all my childhood pet requests to come back to me so strongly; he’d always say I’d never want to go on all my beloved vacations once I got a pet. While this is partly true- I do feel a pang of guilt and regret for leaving- having a pet to come home to is also the perfect antidote to post-vacation blues. Now that vacation season is upon us, here are some tips and considerations for making sure your pets have as nice of a time as you do when you’re gone. Read the rest of this entry »

I might as well come out and admit it: I LOVE shopping. Like the stereotypical femme, my ideal afternoon comprises of shopping, shopping and shopping, with maybe a spa treatment thrown in. When it comes to my cats, I’m no different. My partner has to tear me away from the cat toys and steer me out of the store when I start to get that glazed shopping look in my eyes. Shoppers, you know what look I’m talking about; I think we call it “the Zone.” How do I reconcile my love of shopping with my desire to stay on a budget? Simple: crafts!

For me, shopping is the hunt of finding something new; something unique and something perfect. Crafting is the art of making those things. With a little extra time and effort, I can feel so much better about my materialistic desires. This applies very nicely to pet toys and accessories, since most pet toys are easy and inexpensive to make. Now if I can just find the receipt to return that remote controlled mouse! Read the rest of this entry »

While pet food is the most often recurring cost associated with pets, pet medical care may well be the most expensive. When me and my partner rescued Francie from the rooftop, we immediately took her to the vet to make sure she was healthy. Although we got a 10% discount for taking in a rescue, that initial visit cost a whopping $80. Since, Francie’s been spayed, ($200) the kittens had their shots ($80 each for five of them), and a sick kitten was nursed back to health with the help of the vet ($80).

All in all, it’s been an expensive winter. Obviously, it is not typical to incur all of these costs in such a short period of time, but the average yearly medical cost for pets is still upwards of $300. Here’s a breakdown of different options for making sure your pet still gets the care it needs despite high costs and difficult financial times. After all, we don’t want to be these people. (Don’t click on that link if stories about abandoned animals upsets you, I was really saddened) Read the rest of this entry »

I just got my very first pet four months ago; a pregnant tabby me and my partner, Grace, rescued from the roof adjacent to our apartment. Soon after, she had kittens and we ended up keeping one- his picture is to the right. Having never had a pet as a child (my parents are very, very neat people), I knew this would be a huge emotional investment for me, but what I didn’t realize is how much of a financial investment it would be as well.

Pets, in addition to being invaluable emotional support, proven stress reduction and overall adorableness, cost money. And if you believe the media portrayals, we as queer people are particularly lavish with our pets, treating them to fancy hotel stays (Best in Show) and acupuncture (Flipping Out). Like Paula said “Pets are our furry children”. Of course, having a pet doesn’t have to break the bank, so let’s talk about some ways to save money while still being the best pet owners we can be. And if you’re still in the process of considering the financial implications of owning a pet, please read Nina’s post “Are Pets Worth the Price?” I’ve already said yes to that question and so in the next couple weeks I’ll be posting a series of topics on saving money on pet expenses, starting with food. Read the rest of this entry »